Article and photos by Sandra Michaud unless otherwise marked
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Felix Jaramillo, Elvira Carrizal-Dukes, Terry Humble and Mary Lou Castillo Chavez (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Terry Humble and Mary Lou Castillo Chavez (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Willie Andazola and Kelli Lycke (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Terry Humble and John J. Chacon hold up a historical calendar with Juan Chacon's photo (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Rachel Valencia (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Roger Duarte and John H. Chacon (Photo courtesy Salt of the Earth Recovery Project)
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Aimee Ryan types in her memories of her grandfather, Roger Silva Sr. Her friend Isaih Soliz watches while Zakery Munoz, Project Coordinator tells her how to proceed.
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Marivel Medel writes about the Union Hall and the time she spent there.
Salt of the Earth Recovery Project 072818
Zakery Munoz, Dr. Michelle Hall Kells, Isiah Soliz and Aimee Ryan
A local history project that began in 2016 recently concluded at the end of July. The Salt of the Earth Recovery Project was started to record the stories of the men and women of Local 890 chapter of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers of Hanover, New Mexico, who participated in one of the country’s most effective strikes, which took place from October 1950 to January 1952.
The Project collected its final stories the last weekend of July at the Bayard and Silver City Public Libraries.
The 1,400 members of Local 890 were predominantly Mexican-American and faced added harassment and civil rights violations. Women had a leading role in the Empire Zinc Mine strike and helped the miners confront the dominant power structure.
Dr. Michelle Hall Kells and her staff helped local people write down their stories and add them to the project website. “We’re losing that generation quickly, and we need to get their stories.”
Dr. Kells also said that another aspect of the project was to try to preserve the Union Hall and the wonderful murals and artwork in it. She said that the project also was preserving the memories of younger generations who grew up celebrating milestones in their lives, such as quinceañeros, in the Hall.
You can read the stories, hear Corridos written about the strike, see pictures and more at https://saltoftheearthrecoveryproject.wordpress.com